Speed and distance indicating device.



PATENTED OCT. 9, 1906.

APPLICATIOI TILED H0113. 1905,

x, J M /./H 3 e m 4 A 3 m w v 4 I ,a A Q 0 M 2 W 4 UNITED STATES "PATENT OFFICE.

ROLLIN ABELL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO ABELL SPEEDOMETER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 9, 1906.

Application filed November 13, 1905. Serial No. 287,005.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROLLIN ABELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Imrovements in S cod and Distance Indicating Devices, of w 'ch the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for indicating'the speed of rotation of a shaft at any instant.

It is among the objects of the-invention to provide such a device of a simple and endurable construction, requiring no attention from the user when once adjusted, and having the other advantages incidental to the con struction hereinafter described.

The objects are accom lished by the use of a weight or set of weig ts arranged eccentrically to rotate about an axis. The centrifugal force thus developed throws the weights outward from the axis against a circular concentric raceway. The friction of the moving wei hts against this raceway tends to drag the atter, and the latter is so mounted that it is free to rotate under the influence of this drag, except as it is restrained by a spring. The extent of its motion depends upon the strength of the drag, which in turn depends upon the speed of rotation, and is indicated by an indicator-hand arranged in connection with a suitable scale. A counting device to indicate total number of revolutions is conveniently combined with the speed-indicating device.

n the accompanying drawings, F1 e 1 represents a plan view of a speed-in i'cator and revolution-counter embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a lan view of the same with the cover remove Fig. 3 is a plan view in section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 4. 4 is a front elevation in section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 shows the interior in side elevation, the inclosing case bein sectioned at the points indicated by 5 5 in ig. 1. Fig. 6 shows art of aslightl different embodiment of the lnvention in si eelevati'on','sectioned.

Referringto-the drawings, ,lrepresents a stud or shaft set'wfth'in a' casin 2, about the axis of which stud the weights 3 are disposed and about which they are adapted to rotate.

The weights my be supported in any suitable manner. he partlcular supporting deof the on 26, as-shown in Fi vice shown in the drawings is a thick disk 4,

journaled ufion the stud and havin holes 5 bored radia y in its periphery, in w 'ch the weights rest and are free to slide in or out from the center. Said weights may be of any convenient form which permits them to move or exert pressure easily in a radial direction and compels sliding contact, as distinguished from rolling contact, with the raceway 6. The latter is arranged in a circular position surrounding the axis of rotation concentrically, so that when the weights are thrown outward by centrifugal force they encounter and rub against the raceway at a uniform distance from the axis of rotation. The raceway may be supported in this position by any suitable means. The construction herein shown for supporting this raceway consists of a cup 26, pivoted in the casing and having cylindrical walls, the inside of which constitutes the raceway. The cup is mounted fast on a pintle 7, which is sup orted on the central stud 1 at 8 and is journa ed in the casing at 9 concentrically with the axis of rotation of the weights 3. A pointer 10 is also mounted on the pintle. Rotation of the pin tle, cup, and ointer is limited by a sprin 1 1 one end of which is fast to the intle am? other end of which is anchored to a 0st 12. A scale 13 is rovided to aid in rea ing the movements 0 the needle 10.

The disk 4 is preferably 'made in such form and size as to substantially fill the cup, thus excluding air and the resulting air-currents therefrom when the parts are rotating. The raceway 6 may be flush with the inner walls 3 and 4. In another orm it is set out a little from those walls, as shown in Fig. 6. The wei hts are preferably pointed at their outer en 8 to reduce their area of contact with the raceway to a minimum. I One form is shown in Fig. 4, in which the ends are rounded convexly. Another form is shown in Fig. 6, in which they are brought to a sharper point. The points of the weights and the raceway are preferably made of hardened steel to reduce wear. One or more weights may be employed. It is pre ferred to arrange .the weights and the dis so that the arts will rotate evenly and in balance. holes, them outward so that a very slight force will move into contact with their racee weights should fit easily in their the a way. A suitable way is to make the body of the speed of and the weights cylindrical, and this has the added advantage of preventing the friction of the raceway from causin the weights to rotate about their individua axes parallel with the main axis of rotation, as might be the case if the weights were in the form of balls or rollers, it being desirable to prevent such secondary rotation. I

The disk 4 bears a gear '14, which meshes with and is driven byia gear 15, which in turn is driven by a gear 22 en a shaft 23, journaled,

in the casing 2. Said shaft 23 is adapted to be driven by a flexible shafting connected with the shaft or rotating part whose speed is to be measured, and for this connection contains a drill-hole 20, and the casing adjacent has an internally-threaded screw 21 to receive the protective covering of such flexible shafting. The stud 1- is conveniently supported me and clear of this gearing by means ofa bridge 24, set on posts 25, projecting from the base of the casing 2. On, the shaft with the gear 15 is a worm 16, which meshes with the driving-gear 1 7 of a revolution-counting device 18 19, which may be of any ordinaryor suitable t e and need not be further described here. adjusting the gearing of the revolution-counter according to the diameter of the wheel of-a carriage or automobile-carthe counter may be made to indicate miles per hour traveled in the manner well known. Likewise it is evident that any desiredmarking may be placed upon the scale 13, and the same may be calibrated and marked to indicate the speed of the shaft 23 in revolutions per minute or per second, or, if the latter be applied'to an automobile-car, the car in miles per hour. In the drawings a form of the device is shown having a scale of this sort, and the revolutioncounter has two portions, the upper one, 18, representing miles traveled in the particular tri and the lower one, 19, showing the total in estraveled. r I The operation of the device is as follows: When the weights are revolved about the axis of the stud 1, centrifugal force throws them outward till they encounter and rub against the raceway 6. The latter is stationarly, except as the spring 11 permits it to turn a ittl e. With higher speeds the pressure of the weights against the raceway is greater, their drag or friction thereon is greater, the spring yields a little,

its supporting-cup and pintle 7 are turned commensurately until the increased tension .is balanced by ,the spring. The amount of this turning is indicated. by the hand 10. the position of the hand depends upon the drag on the raceway at any nstant and as the amount of the drag at that mstant de ends upon the coincident speed of rotation o the we ghts 3 and shaft 23, it follows that the pointer 10 indicates the speed ing rotation of the raceway e .and thus the raceway holes; a raceway circumj'acent t at the particular instant irrespective of the speed at any previous time. The revolutioncounter, driven from the same shaft, is meanwhile-registering the total distance traveled. Thus the instrument shows at a glance both the distance traveled and the rate at any particular instant.

v I claim 1'. In a speed-indicating device, the combination of a circular raceway; a weight revoluble within it and bearing against it centrifugally; means to connect the weight with the body whose speed is to be indlcated and means to oppose the resulting rotation of the raceway elastically.

2. In a speed-indicating device, the combination of a circular raceway; a weight revoluble within it and bearing against it centrifugally; means to connect the weight with the body whose speed is to be indicated; means to oppose the resulting rotation of the raceway e astically; and means to measure the ex- .tent of such rotation.

3. In a speed-indicating device, the combination of a circular raceway; a weight revoluble within it and bearing against it centrifugally; means to connect the weight with the body whose speed is to be indicated; means to oppose the resulting rotation of the raceway elastically; and a scale and an indicator arranged to measure the extent of such rotation.

4. In a speed-indicating device, in combination, a thick disk mounted rotatably, and. having one or more radial holes; one or more weights arranged to slide easily within said holes; a raceway circumj acent the path of rotation of said'holes arranged for contact with said weights; and means to o pose the resultlestically.

5. 'In a speed-indicating device, in combination, a thick disk mounted rotatably, and

having one or more radial holes; one or more I weights arranged to slide easily within said holes; a raceway c'ircumjacent the path of rotation of said holes arranged for contact with said weights; means to op ose the-resulting rotation of the raceway'e asticall said weights being arranged symmetrically with respect to the axis or rotation.

6. In a speed-indicating device, the combination of a circular raceway; a weight revoluble within it and bearing against it centrifugally; means to connect the wei ht-with the body whose speed is to be indicated and ,means to oppose the resulting rotation of the raceway elastically; said weight being shaped to apoint for contact with the raceway.

7. In a speed-indicating device, in combination, a thick disk mounted rotatably, and having one or more radial holes; one or more weights arranged to slide easil within said lie path of rotation of said holes arranged for contact with saidwe'ights and means to oppose the resulttieally.

9. In a speed-indicating device, a body revolved by the body whose speed is to be indiin eombi-c ctr-ted, and errenged in centrifugal sliding contact with e confining solid body. in combination with said confining-body, arranged to prevent centrifugal movement of the revolving body when in operation, and means to indicate the resulting traction of the revolving bod upon the confining-body.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROLLIN ABELL.

Witnesses p OLWER P. Scnoox Anni. ARTnim G. LEWIS. 

